THE GOD WHO WROTE THE BIBLE JUST FOR YOU

Want to feel like God wrote the Bible just for you?  Actually He did write the Bible just for you!  But I'll bet like me you often read it like we read any other book.  We pick it up from its last resting place, remove the bookmark, and start reading.  Now there's nothing wrong with reading the Bible like that.  But here's a great way to make God's message to you even more personal and real.

Try "praying back" scripture to God.  Here's how it works.  I was recently reading in the book of James and I copied James 1:12-18 directly from the NKJV.  It reads like this: 

¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

I then turned the scripture to prayer like this:

Father God, help me to be a man who endures temptations so that I may be approved and receive the crown of life which you have promised to me because I love you.  When I am tempted don't ever let me say it was you who tempted me for I know you cannot be tempted by evil and you cannot tempt anyone to do evil because you are Holy and Perfect.  I know that if I am tempted I will be drawn by my own desires, not by anything you would will.  I know it is my desires that lead to sin and that sin leads to death.  Make sure I realize that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from you the Father of Lights.  In you there is no change or turning.  You brought me forth by your own will so I could be a fruit of your creation.

Now this method doesn't work with every single passage of scripture but it is rewarding to apply the technique to those passages where it does work.  There are actually several books that have been written to help you apply this method to your prayer life.  Author Lee Roberts has written a series called "Praying God's Will For My _________".  You can fill in the blank with Daughter, Son and Pastor to name a few.  They are great books of practical scripture prayers for the important people in your life. 

The great thing about praying scripture is that you know you are praying back to THE GOD WHO WROTE THE BIBLE JUST FOR YOU.

I'd love to hear about the ways you use scripture in your prayers. Share them below.